the bedroom floor: a mini-saga

We wanted to paint our bedroom last weekend. So we took a trip to Kwall house, bought some lovely lavender paint, brushes, etc. and got home. As I arranged things in the room I began sweeping the floor. Sweeping and focusing on all the stains, scratches, unfinished surfaces, and future splinters waiting to happen.

My mom had mentioned before it’s better to sand before you paint, so to the dismay of my husband, I switched up the agenda. We went to home depot, bough sandpaper, lacquer, stain, and rented a ginormous sander. Don’t get me wrong, just because we rented a big fancy sander, doesn’t mean the job was easy. Talk about sweat equity, Brad is a wonderful man. Soon, we had a beautiful smooth floor, so pretty.

Out came the Provincial stain (supposedly one of the lightest home depot has to offer). We tested a corner, it seemed a little dark…”oh well” we thought, it will lighten up and maybe we’re supposed to spread it thinner. Half a room later I stood back and looked at our floor, it was black, and orange. A Halloween floor. After all that work and basically forcing brad to go along with my crazy scheme I wanted to cry. All that work. That money. Black and orange. (This picture doesn't even do it justice, it was hideous.)

Chaos ensued at our household. What to do? We had already returned the sander, and we were burnt out. But the thought of leaving it uglier than it was before, after all that work, confused my soul. Back to home depot, a very nice man allowed me to take the sander again at no cost, and even hooked us up with some free floor finishings. (You might think the following picture is candid, what with the monkey-arm and all, but I actually set this up, then Brad called and I forgot about the timer. Home depot gave me an awesome attachment to a broom handle to make finishing the floor easier.)

In order to lighten the heavy load I had placed on Brad with this project, my mother enlisted as a volunteer to help with the cause. After the experience with “provincial” I became skeptical of stains, and decided to let the natural beauty of the pine speak for itself with a polyurethane finish. A few hours later I was a happy woman. I love our floor. And soon, I will love the whole bedroom. We just have to paint now, hang a few things, and decorate a bit. Thank you to Brad, mom, and Home Depot for making my floor dreams come true!

The Food of Love

My husband and I shared our first Valentines together and in order to make it special I obviously had to revolve the day around food. I decided to make Msemen for breakfast, a "crepe" like flat bread that we had for breakfast each day on our honeymoon in Morocco. I make us each 2 just like we had there- one smothered with nutella and folded up, the other "fromage" with laughing cow's creamy swiss cheese. I decided to mix things up and threw some scrambled eggs in the cheese one.

For lunch I attempted to recreate one of our favorite meals from the Utah County days, Lomo Saltado (served with Papa a la Huancaina sauce). We frequented a wonderful Peruvian hole-in-the-wall restaurant called "El Rinconcito del Inca". It was basically a make-shift restaurant in a peruvian family's basement with no more than 5 tables. Everyone who worked there was part of the Peruvian family, except this one random Scandinavian who spoke little English, I never did figure out his role there, but it just added to the quirky uniqueness of the location. I've driven past there several times since they took their sign down, I wish I knew what happened to them... I've got the sauce down though. (learned to make Aji-de-Gallina and Papa-a-la-Huancaina while living in Chile with a Peruvian.) The Lomo Saltado sauce also had the flavor right, but I think I the meat would have been softer if I had time to marinate it longer.

And then there was dinner. Almost daily I drive past Tuscany, this beautiful restaurant in a Chatoe-esque fancy builiding just down the road from us. I see candles lit on talbes by the window, and I envision getting dressed up and enjoying some exquisit meal there with my husband. So as Valentines and our 1/2 Anniversary approached, it was definitely in the running. We called and after hearing that filet mignon, chicken picatta, and veal marsala were on the Valentine's menu I was hooked. Unfortunately, despite rave reviews from friends and family who have been there, Tuscany did not live up to our expectiations. We ordered filet mignon, only to be told a 1/2 hour later they had run out. After finishing our soup we waited 45 min before the next course arrived. After waiting for dessert we were told that they had run out of that too. All in all the service was bad, they were underprepared for a big fancy restaurant day like Valentines, and our 9:00 reservation had us finished with our meal after 11:00. I kept imagining what a special meal I could have made at home for a fraction of the cost, and thats exactly what I plan to do next year. And that was the conclusion of our Moroccan, Peruvian, Italian-American dining Valentines.

Sure, we look happy enough...but I can still envision the empty dream of what could have been with dinner at home.

MSEMEN (MOROCCAN CREPE/FRIED BREAD)
1 ½ C flour
1/2 C fine semolina or pan harina (or normal flour)
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp yeast (or baking powder, I just added that cause I'm too lazy to use yeast in the morning)
3/4 C warm water
Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl or mixer. Add water, and mix to form a dough. Add more water/flour if necessary to make a soft dough you can knead. Knead 5 min until smooth and elastic. (The mixer works fine). Pour a little oil onto a cookie sheet, take balls of dough and using the oiled surface with oiled hands spread out dough and push down to a thin square shape, thin as possible (1/8”), don't worry about the oil, there was no fat added to the dough, so be generous. Cook on a hot ungreased skillet. After cooking one side spread the nutella or cheese on the cooked side, fold up in 1/3s and eat hot. It'll taste better if you go to Morocco and have a lady on the street make it for you, but since most of us can't do that very often, this is pretty good too.

Plunder’s Lovers Delight or McFlurry, it’s Love.

Half year Anniversary & Valentines.
It’s a big love day for the Hagens.
A lot of people seem to not like Valentines, I’m discovering it has less to do with if you have someone to celebrate with or not, and more to do with how annoyed you might be with the commercial/cheesy aspect of the holiday. You may disregard a newlywed’s take on Valentines, but I have spent the majority of my V-days without a sweetheart and still always enjoyed Valentines. I think there’s nothing wrong with adding a day to celebrate love and relationships each year, even if sometimes it’s just celebrating the idea of it. Come on, we have calendar days dedicated to trees and popcorn… there’s nothing wrong with a love day.

I like decorating sugar cookies, being able to wear pink and red together, and reflecting on the love in my life. Whether we’re eating Plunder’s Lovers Delight or sharing a McFlurry, this Valentines will be the best, because it’s our first one together. It’s so weird that me and brad weren’t even officially dating last Valentines, and now we’ve been married for 6 months. Time is flying by and marriage is living up to the adventure I expected it to be. It hasn’t been bliss every day, but overall being married to brad has made my life infinitely better. I’m changing and growing into a better woman than I was before. I love life with you Brad! Happy 6 month anniversary and Happy Valentines. Te Quiero. XOXO

P.S. We've been sleeping on a matress on the floor for the past 6 months, and today, in honor of love, we bought a bed. I absolutely love it! (I walk in the bedroom just to stare at it. Then when I'm on my computer all of the sudden I'm looking at pictures of it without even realizing it. I'm almost ready to move on to a normal relationship one might have with a bed, soon.)

Baby Nurse

Just in case you didn’t know- I am so much happier this semester in Nursing. This may have to do with the fact that I don’t have a cruel instructor who despises me. Even if it does, I know that it also has to do with moving on from adult care. I love working with kids. Last week I got to practice my Spanish with an 8 year old girl who had an appendectomy, we had fun and I managed not to get lice from her.

Today my patient was an infant, not even a month old, who was born with HLHS (a congenital heart defect). I wanted to melt as soon as I saw her. She was so sweet, and still looked adorable even with oxygen tubing, an NJ tube, IVs, and scars from recent heart surgery. Her young parents were so positive and working hard to learn what they needed to before she can finally go home from the hospital with them. I think in the future it’s not going to be good for me know about all these things that can go wrong with babies, I feel like I’m in training to be the world’s most paranoid mom. Sometimes it can be so sad and hard to see little ones struggling with health problems. No one deserves it, but they especially deserve to have a happy, normal childhood. As I held that little infant in my arms and listened to her tiny heart and lungs I felt an overwhelming feeling of how much God loves each of his children. It felt so amazing to hold her; I can’t even imagine how that must feel when it’s your own baby. Those parents weren’t fretting over how their child had an abnormal heart, had to be fed by a tube, and would be lucky to make it into her teens. I could tell they just loved their baby, were grateful to have her, and wanted to do their best to make her happy.

I’m so confused now about what I want to do for my capstone this summer, I’ve been thinking labor and delivery, but I have to make a choice before I even get a chance to experience it and know if I like it. I loved working with that baby, and I’m sure it would be neat to be there when new babies are first coming into the world. I love what I’m doing right now though, and it might be safer to do something I know I’m enjoying. If I do pediatrics I don’t know if I should do surgery or oncology. Decisions, decisions. And ones I have to make soon.

(I don't get why the cap fell out of fashion, nurses dressed so much better back in the day.)

California and Work

So, Brad is in San Francisco today for work and I’ve got the day off, go figure. Our arrangements of work and school never seems to coincide how I’d like them to. Actually, I don’t really like it when he goes anywhere without me... Right when we got home from our honeymoon, just the fact that Brad left for work each day didn’t work for me. I was a big sap that first week and wanted to cry every time the door shut in the morning. Luckily, I got past that, but I do hate sleeping alone. I hate it, so I will reminisce and blog till I feel better. I am trying to remind myself that we did get 2 weekend trips to California together in the Fall. California really is a beautiful place. Our first trip was with my family at Newport Beach:

The Yummiest nachos and Pina Colada ever- Las Brisas.

Then Brad had to leave for work before we could go to one of the most magical places in the world, Disneyland. (Note to self: We are grateful for work. We are grateful for work, really we are.) So our big family group of 21packed up and headed for the Park.

The Haunted Mansion was decorated like the Nightmare Before Christmas.

Space mountain is my favorite ride, I went on it 3 times. (no lines on a Tues in October!) My mom loves it too.

Don't Worry, I don't know those people behind me. You can tell this ride is in my comfort zone. The Tower of Terror on the other hand, was not: (notice how everyone else is smiling and I'm screaming bloody murder) I'm not normally into big falls, but my brother Aaron convinced me to go on this, and I actually had fun! This was my first time going to California Adventure, and I thought it was pretty awesome.

These pics are poor quality; I like taking pics of the screen with the picture so I don't have to pay for it. :)

Our second jaunt over to California was a work-related trip to San Francisco: We didn’t really take pictures or do anything touristy; but we ate the best pizza I’ve ever tasted and I window shopped as we ran through the streets of San Fran till our feet hand blisters.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I get frusterated because when I have breaks, brad is working. When he has trips, I'm in school. BUT...I'd now like to give a shout out to work, without which, no trips to California could be made (with or without me). So, in the end, I'm glad for that love-hate relationship I have with work. Thanks for working Brad, and thanks for letting me be a sap sometimes. Life can't be all play, and maybe when I quit paying to work myself and actually get a paycheck, I'll like work even more. Maybe. :)

Resolutions. It's not too late, right?

Those Darn Resolutions. I almost decided not to worry about it this year. (I already broke my first one...how can I exercise when I'm sick?) Yet, there is always appeal in the idea of becoming better. Every year I make big plans, and I think I fulfill *most* of them, but I’m not really sure because I’ve normally forgotten what they were by the end of the year. For example I could say that my goals this year were to:

1. Be accepted and half way complete an accelerated nursing program.
2. Travel to an awesome country illegally.
3. Discover how I look with a rasta style hair-do.
4. Find a husband and wed myself to him.
5. Ride a camel with this man in an exotic land.
I would have completed all of these goals, but I’m pretty sure I didn’t set any of them (except maybe the nursing one). This is my public record that I can look back to so that I can remember those things I’d really like to improve in my life and see how I’m doing with them. Ideal me is telling me how to make life a little more ideal.

My Resolutions for 2010:

I will find a way to enjoy nursing school and actually try to be a good student.

This year I will successfully earn my BSN and pass the NCLEX.

I will exercise 3-4 times a week (basically every other day) and memorize how to spell the word “exercise” without spell-check.

Treats will be had in my home on no other day but Sunday. (and special occasions)

I will not forget about fruits and vegetables. (avocados and mangos don’t count)

I will stay hydrated by drinking water frequently. (my favorite, easy healthy thing to do)

I will learn how to use that awesome camera Brad got me for Christmas. I'm gonna make videos AND learn how to edit them!

I will try to keep better track of my keys and cell phone so as not to cause frustrating situations for me or my husband.

I will finish (and will also need to start) my mission scrapbook. That was definitely a goal from last year.

I will open up my machine and sew again, make at least 1 quilt.

I will learn something about politics and government. (I regret never taking a class, anyone know any good books?)

Obvious things that will make me better that are sometimes forgotten: Read in the scriptures every day, attend the temple at least once a month, be more purposeful when I fast, and try to think of others more.

That’s it for now, wish me luck!

The Hagens and their First Crusade

Essauira, Morocco- sea breeze, camels, grilling meat, endless maze of shops with silks, spices, wood carvings, carpets, lanterns. It took a while to get to the quaint little beach town for our honeymoon but it was worth it. We had a day layover in Spain and visited Toledo on the celebratory day of the patron saint of Toledo. We drank the holy water, entered the cathedral, and got interviewed by a news team about our views on kissing the statue of the virgin and spreading swine flu.

Getting to morocco was quite the adventure in itself; Royal Air Maroc only had one plane going from Spain which we discovered is notoriously late. We arrived in the mystical, magical land- the air was warm, new spells were in the air, Arabic writing was everywhere. Walking out of the airport there was a large crowd of people in veils and draped clothing that we had to walk through. We arrived for the President’s feast day celebrated with food and concerts, and left during Ramadan making it difficult to find food during daylight hours. Our hotel in Casablanca had marble floors, beautiful chandeliers, and detailed design. We slept in and with some difficulty, (no one spoke English) found a guy to drive us to Essauira the next day. It was an interesting drive with changing landscapes. The “4 hr drive” turned in to 8, and we eventually arrived at our destination.

Our hotel, the Sofetil, was beautiful. Right next to a beach, with a beautiful pool that had outdoor couches and beds to lounge on. The town was exotic and charming; it felt like a mix between Aladdin and Indiana Jones. Plenty of shopping from craftsmen and fishermen in the markets that wound through the maze-like streets of the medina. Yummy grilled meats and delicious magnum doble ice cream. Lovely mild temperatures.

When we didn’t want to relax and just soak it all in, there was always adventure waiting around the corner. One day we rode camels that seemed to start in the middle of nowhere desert, then after coming around a large dune ended up on the beach. The wind was blowing like crazy and I had no idea I’d be up so high and bouncing back and forth so much. It was crazy and fun. We spent our last couple nights in Marrakech, a larger, more famous town in the desert. It was hot, but our hotel was amazing and had little pools by all the rooms that you could jump in and cool off. The trip went by too fast and before we knew it we were on a sweaty train ride back to Casablanca, no more snake charmers or camel rides, back to real life.